The XMPP service is changing name in the next SDK release to GTalk service, for
exactly the reason you describe:  it's a Google-specific service, so we're calling it
as such instead of implying that it's a general purpose XMPP service.

Note also that the current service is a convenience hook for interacting with
Google's servers.  This is primarily of interest to developers because it provides an
easy way for do P2P communications (piggybacked over XMPP) between Android devices.
That is, the only 2 uses for the GTalk service are to send GTalk instant messages,
and to use this convenient P2P piggybacking technique.

Finally, while we do use Smack in the guts of the GTalk service, it's very heavily
modified and won't even be using XML by the time we're done, so it won't be made
public.  Instead, you should feel free to include your own copy of Smack with your apps.

Wow...that's an amazingly short-sighted viewpoint of XMPP capabilities in Android. 
The prospect of a mobile device that has the built-in capability of doing real XMPP
is the main thing that drew me to the project to begin with.

I don't know how many people I speak for, but let me suggest that Google re-think
this thought on the subject of the XMPP capabilities of Android.

I have to agree. The way things look, the web is screaming for a push-based solution 
to power their almost-realtime stuff. There are two standards for that right now, 
SIMPLE and XMPP, and XMPP seems to be winning that race, even though it's way too 
early to dismiss SIMPLE. I really hope Google reconsiders this.

I have to agree that XMPP played a major role in deciding for the Android platform. I think that it is fine that 
GTalk uses a custom protocol, but a built-in XMPP solution would ease the development of so many more 
applications than chatting.
Also XMPP supports compression and XML is known to be very compressible. Also it is quite clear that traffic for 
smartphones will become less and less an issue. Especially when the built-in browser renders full pages.

How about creating a P2P API that is not called XMPP and is not called GTalk, is in
the android.something namespace, and has a pluggable implementation (of which GTalk
would be one (supplied by com.google), and real XMPP would be another (supplied by
openintents or whoever))? You could use the old XMPP API as the basis and a Factory
method to get the implementation.

I want a standard XMPP Android module. I am not going to invest any development
resources building anything on top of a proprietary GTalk implementation.

Please, integrate this API into Android.
This could be The Next communication protocol to revolutionize the internets.

Imagine multi-user games, updating tags, synchronizing shopping lists, schedule
changes in group calendars, ... and more!

There are other priorities for the platform SDK (like being able to access the 
phone's network properties like location, phone number, and carrier) but a true P2P 
framework would be very disruptive for Android.  It would definitely leap ahead of 
the road maps of current OSs.  It would also add much in terms of an asynchronous 
third-party channel for advertising (e.g. you show up in a mall and have your phone 
on.  You pass the shoe store and an ad pops up on your phone saying there is a 
special if you come in an buy now.  Or an ad pops up telling you there is a lunch 
deal when you buy a sandwich you get a soda with it.)  If you can't push this stuff 
to the phone, an app has to poll and do all the work on your phone - use up your 
battery and your air time.  Kind of Microsoft thinking if you ask me - but hey once 
you get big you can;t be too disruptive.

Please add support for the XMPP standard service on the platform SDK.
Google can always provide a specialized implementation for the GTalk with whatever
optimizations desired. A standard interface for the service should exist that should
provide a generic interface that is service independent.

This is a ridiculous political move by someone at Google that is very short sighted.
Perhaps HTTP support should also become an optional developer-provided add-on with an
easier to use and more convenient service like gHTTP shipping with Android.

Today you deleted XMPP support, tomorrow something else. Android described as an open
platform and for external developers it's important to feel and know that they can
rely on the platform features and not found tomorrow that what they have developed
cannot be used anymore, because someone decided that it's not needed.

It feels like Google is going MS-way replacing open standards with own closed
proprietary ones. Too bad.

Here is a discussion about this started by Google:
http://mail.jabber.org/pipermail/standards/2008-February/018015.html

I can completely follow Googles arguments made in the linked discussion. But I think that Google still 
considers XMPP too much of as an chat thing.
If we would see XMPP support in a mobile phone this would allow a lot of new applications. Starting from 
games to other real time communications like stock trading informations (not that I would recommend that).
The GTalk client is nice, but does not provide the independence to google which is needed to create really 
interesting applications.
The bandwidth argument is not very strong. People are using their mobile phones as modems which 
generates easily GB per month. If the Android platform is meant to compete with the iPhone it has to be an 
"always online" "I don't care about volume" thing.

To me there doesn't seem to be any reason Google could not simply go about extending
XMPP with the necessary functionality and propose those as standard protocol
extensions. This is the correct path to take. I am currently considering developing
an Android application and XMPP support is key to making it work, I had no idea until
now that I would be forced to roll my own, so I might reconsider building an Android
app until someone steps up and provides XMPP support where Google has failed to do so. 

The fact of the matter is, Google wants something that works now, not next year. That
is why they have chosen to implement their own flavor of XMPP; they do not want to
wait for a committee to finish writing the mobile XMPP spec. Although I don't see why
a transparent binary XML-XMPP proxy would not work on the service provider's edge
network  to translate Google's proprietary binary XMPP protocol to vanilla XMPP for
communication with regular servers...

What a bummer! I shared the sentiment of many in that the open XMPP services is what
motivated me to develop an android app. MrG, please consider that needs of the
development community that will help make Android a success. 

XMPP within Android is one of the key features that I thought would not only
revolutionise mobile apps and services but would have effects on web to web and other
communications.

I am not sure that this issue is the correct place to take this discussion forward.

As mentioned above people can still include xmpp support in their apps but there will
not be a built in library (it was always optional).

This issue is all about an optional package - what we are asking for is core XMPP
support.

How do we do it - a petition? I don't know but lets not let the idea get lost on
 issue 201 

It's a pity Google doesn't want to provide us with the XMPP, I really thing they are
missing an important point here. 

GPhone will need a lot of help and features to battle against iPhone, but if they
continue this way, soon will lose the free-developers and will be no battle. 

Just returned from the Android Challenge front lines with some wounds. Here is my story that supports what 
many of you were saying here.
Promise of XMPP on Android was a major factor that convinced our company (Lablz) to invest resources into 3 
Android Challenge submissions. But guess what was the major resource sink? Absence of full XMPP. Once we 
saw the uncertainty Google created with the change to Gtalk API and when we realized the Android XMPP did 
not include Group Chat, - we began porting full Smack API to Android. With Apr 14 deadline closing in and no 
previous exposure to Smack codebase - it became a nightmare. We succeeded with the port, but that did not 
leave us much time to polish our Apps (and increased the .apk size by a ton). Follow this post for more info: 
http://www.igniterealtime.org/community/message/171010

Google, XMPP is important to us, developers! Extra network load of XMPP is nothing compared to the load of 
Web Apps. Another point - many people here said XMPP is not just for Chat. I'd say - XMPP is the ONLY way to 
produce Web apps that work well on mainstream Android phones. We believe XMPP is also a key factor in 
making Web Apps competitive with native Apps on Android.

So acting on this belief we created Browser Bhoost (http://bhoost.com) - a cross between Android's WebKit, 
XMPP and native Android capabilities, like GPS, Camera, etc. We just released it open source on 
http://code.google.com/p/bhoost. We ask all of you and Google to join us on a mission to give Web 
Developers equal footing with Java developers in the upcoming ADC II.

It appears that full XMPP support is back on the Android roadmap for a post 1.0
release and the reason for it not being included in 1.0 has changed substantially. I
don't know if the issues related to overhead incurred on disconnects, bandwidth & CPU
overhead, and unreliable connectivity still exist but the story now is that security
concerns were too difficult to overcome in the short term to get full XMPP support
rolled into release 1.0.

Was Google thinking about being evil and had second thoughts? Don't know. Don't care.
Just glad to be back thinking about the cool things I can build on top of a network
of Android devices.

What a bummer,I shared the sentiment of many in that the XMPP devices is  what driver me
to the android ,and I was disappointed with google now. 

I cannot believe that Google would keep something so essential out of the core API.  
This feature has the potential to change the mobile world.  I believe that Google 
will regret this decision in the long run

Please Understand Google Only Want GTalk every where, a monopolistic Aproach for
OpenSource Platform

Without XMPP this Open Platform is nothing but a concentrated monopolistic effort on
Google's part, please don't call it "open platform". I expect to see XMPP support in
subsequent revisions, possibly the next major revision. I can't stress enough, or
agree enough with the comments above, XMPP is clearly one of the most interesting
component for us mobile developers. I hope this decision is changed and overturned.

XMPP is vital for the future of Android. It is just that simple.

XMPP support was probably the second most important feature I was looking for when 
considering a new mobile phone. I chose an Android phone precisely because of my 
belief that this would be a given in the system.

I am disappointed that this was not to be so.

As a developer, we need support for XMPP protocol. 
My only question is, if Android is open source, why cant we add the support to
Android? What is the process of acceptance if added?

While it's unfortunate that Google is trying to force people into using their
services, it's where they get income from, at the same time I don't see why someone
hasn't turned the smack.jar into a shared library and dumped it on android market so
all devs can benefit from it without needing to keep re-inventing the wheel and
distributing the library with every app that uses it.

Yes I know it seems like a second rate solution, but it is a solution none the less
that everyone everywhere would easily benefit from and be able to utilise.

Please, integrate this API into Android.
This could be The Next communication protocol to revolutionize the internets.

Imagine multi-user games, updating tags, synchronizing shopping lists, schedule
changes in group calendars, ... and more!

Please, integrate this API into Android. We need this for p2p communication, chat, conferencing...

one more disappointed user...

I am new to android, and trying to understand the exposer of XMPP services in
Android. I want to know, is it like that Google doesn't want developers to use XMPP
at all or is it like they are just withdrew their own API. and Developers are still
allowed to create their own APIs on XMPP and use them?

(No comment was entered for this change.)

(No comment was entered for this change.)

We very much need XMPP services for an application that we have been working on. I
suspect if this isn't resolved, we'll can it.

hey google, i guess the new corporate slogan is: don't be evil unless it comes to
letting people use XMPP to connect to non-gtalk services

I am and end user who sees xmpp support as the way of the future.  From an end use
standpoint I simply need an xmpp IM application for android.  If this exists I'll
purchase an android product.  If not I'll go with another phone OS.  However for the
big picture xmpp has several advantages for the ecosystem of the android marketplace.
Consider supporting it. 

Thanks;
David Kosy

Please review your policy regarding XMPP support.
XMPP is essential this days. I have my corporate IM running on my own XMPP server
(with TLS and zlib), monitoring systems running there, and other things. It is a big
shame, that other products support XMPP much better, even Nokia with their J2ME have
XMPP client with TLS support, and amazingly i notice my new phone based on Android
missing this feature. It is a big drawback for corporate users who doesn't rely on
cloud services.

Due to new laws enforced by european governments the security needs for business
communications are constantly rising. Applications based on XMPP provide secure team
messaging even with branch offices without the need for RSA based VPNs, E-Mail
certificates and similar technology. 
Private jabber servers are getting more and more popular. They do not rival with
Google Talk - in fact many might still use it for personal messaging in addition. 
So please reconsider an energy efficent XMPP service implementation for open usage.

XMPP needs to be included because if ANY business would consider an android 
seriously for a corporate environment it MUST be able to communicate within the 
corporate infrastructure. Not everyone will use the entire suite of google products, 
some of us have lotus notes! And very many will have exchange. 

It seems a very shortsighted decision just to use GTalk on the devices and not 
provide XMPP option. For some this seems like a very Microsoft thing to do by 
locking an element into another product. (OK, MS will charge you for it but you get 
the point)

Seriously if you want to give Nokia, BlackBerry a run for there money then this needs 
to be included.

Regards

My business uses private XMPP servers extensively, not just for chat, but also as a 
RPC mechanism.   We would greatly benefit from having XMPP as a standard service on 
the platform SDK, rather than trying to write our own for this one platform.

We need a generic XMPP interface which is service independent, just a stock 
implementation of the XMPP standard protocol, available to all developers to extend 
and use.

While I agree that some form of XMPP should be included for developers, here are 
instructions you can use to get Smack working in your Android application.

http://bjdodson.blogspot.com/2009/07/xmpp-on-android-using-smack.html

I've been using Smack successfully on Android 1.5, 1.6, and 2.0.1.

Hello,
Have you take a look to the asmack library who is a library based on the smack
library for android ( http://code.google.com/p/asmack/ )
And the casmack project, who is a Xmpp Client for android ( 
http://code.google.com/p/casmack/ )